Former president, Hamid Karzai, said Patriotism costs lives of people in the countries likes Afghanistan that comes under target of superpowers.

“Being patriotic is a crime in Afghanistan and the patriotic people are killed,” Karzai addressed a gathering Saturday in Kabul to mark Ahmad Shah Massoud’s death anniversary.

He added Massoud lost his life in this way.

“Massoud was killed, why? Because he loved his homeland” Karzai said

Karzai praised Massoud for remaining in Afghanistan and fighting for protecting and saving his country, calling on the leaders and elites of Afghanistan to get united.

“The nation is united and we need the elites to become united,” he said, asking the elite not to let “any alien” interfere and disrupt the unity of Afghans.

He added that Afghans have no enmity with Pakistan, calling on the neighboring country to shake friendship hands with Afghans.

He once again explained opposition to the US new strategy for Afghanistan, asking the US government not to make Afghanistan as a “confrontation field”. “The US and our neighboring countries should see Afghanistan as a cooperation field.”